Circuit control for amusement apparatus



Aug. 4, 1942. F. e. NICOLAUS 2,291,749

CIRCUIT CONTROL FOR AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 4, 1942. NICQLAUS 2,291,749

CIRCUIT, CONTROL FOR AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L55 I ZZZ/6w? Patented Aug. 4, 1942 ciacUiT CONTROL FOR AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, 111.

Application March 2, 1940, Serial No. 321,892

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a circuit variator and control means for use with amusement apparatus, such for example as pin ball types of games.

In such apparatus it is desirable to have illuminating effects on a back board or table portion thereof to create player appeal by having such effects correspond with a scoring achievement. 7

The present invention uses a motor-driven notched disk, said motor being set into operation when the game apparatus is released for play. A stationary contact carrying plate is proximately disposed to the disk and a wiper arm turns with the motor and disk and makes circuits through the plate contacts with a series of lamps when an obstacle switch member on the game table is bumped by a ball rolling on the table momentarily .to close a circuit to energize an electromagnetic device that serves to release a normally locked brake device from the notched disk whereby to free it for turning and cause the light circuits to be changed. The motor shaft keeps turning, but a friction coupling serves to permit the motor to run while the notched disk and wiper arm are locked and stand still.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved motor driven circuit changer and control means of the class described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball bumped obstacle switch control for the circuit changer to free the latter momentarily for operation when a score achievement is made.

Other important objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating a preferred example of the invention:

Figure l is a general plan view on a reduced scale of a typical pin ball game with which the novel circuit variator and control may be used;

Figure 2 is a face view of the improved circuit variator unit with the contact carrying plate removed, along with a typical wiring diagram to show a ball bumper control and lights used in creating the illuminating efiects;

Figure 3 is a detailed face view, showing an alternate type of notched disk lock control device;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the unit shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is a front face View with the contact carrying plate in place.

By way of example, a pin ball game is shown generally in Figure 1, the same having a cabinet Iii, a table I l and bumper spring switch obstacles E2, of which there may be any desired number. As shown in Figure 2 each obstacle I2 includes a conductor post I3 and coil spring [4, having a pendant leg projecting normally centrally down into an opening in the table, which opening carries a conductor element It. As is well known in the art when a ball is propelled onto the table I by a ball projector ll it will, if properly directed, bump and deflect the spring [4 sufiiciently to make momentary contact between conductor parts l5 and IE, to close a circuit presently to be described. A coin chute I8 is provided in the usual way to release the game apparatus for play, it being understood that when said coin chute is operated a switch l9 will be closed and kept closed automatically by a usual timer element, not shown, for a predetermined interval of time. This keeps running an electric motor in circuit 2| with a source of energy 22.

This motor 20 is mounted in a frame 23, in turn securely fastened in a spaced, parallel plate mounting, comprising a rear plate 24 and a front plate 25 made of insulation material. Spacers 26 and screw bolts 21 hold the plates 24 and 25 together as a small, compact unit, positionable in any desired place inside the game cabinet [0. The motor shaft has fast thereon and drives a pinion 28, in turn driving a series of reduction gearing 29 suitably shaft mounted in the auxiliary frame 23. The frame 23 is secured by bolts 30 to the rear plate 24, as shown. The final ar 29 is supported on a shaft 3| which is stationary in the frame plates 24 and 23. The final gear 29 has a hub 32 journaled on the shaft 3| and said hub 32 passes through a side of the auxiliary frame and includes an enlarged driver disk-33 as a functionally integral part of the hub- 32 and final gear 29.

The plate 25 and the shaft 3| carry turnably a sleeve 34 passed through the plate 25, said sleeve 34 at its end proximate the frame 23 carrying a large peripherally notched wheel 35. Between the driver disk 33 and wheel 35 is a friction washer or disk 36 acting as a driving clutch connection.

The front face of the plate 25 carries a circle of spaced contact buttons 31 from which are lead respective wires 38, to respective lamps 39 connected in turn to a common line connection 40 with the source of energy 22 all as shown in Figure 2. Clamped by insulation washers 4| to turn with the sleeve 34 is a wiper arm 42 connected by a line 43 with the source of energy, successively to pass current through the contacts 31 to the lamps 39 in an obvious manner.

The plate 24 carries a bracket 44 for mounting, as shown in Figure 2, an electromagnet 45 which has an armature 46 normally spring pressed out of the coil radially into engagement with the peripheral notches in the wheel 35, the free end 1 of the armature being suitably shaped for this purpose to serve best as a wheel lock member. Obviously, the wheel 35 is normally looked as the coil 45 is normally deenergized. However, when the bumper spring obstacle switch l5, I6 is closed a circuit 41 is closed to energize the coil 45 and retract the core 46 to free the wheel 35, whereupon the latter rotates and, of course, carries with it the wiper arm 42 to make circuits that light the lamps 39.

In Figure 3 a modified lock for the wheel 35 is shown. In this form the armature core 46 has pivotally and slidably connected to it a bell crank lever 43 pivotally mounted by a pin 49 on the plate 24 and having a detent end 50 to engage the notches in the wheel 35. This completes the detailed description of the parts and the manner of use and mode of operation will next be described.

Normally, when the game is at rest the parts would be in the condition depicted in Figure 2. The player then comes along and coin releases the coin chute I 8 which makes the balls and plunger I! available for use and also closes the switch l9 so that the motor 20, gears 29 and driver portion or disk 33 rotate as a unit. Since the switches l5, l6- are open, the coil 45 is deenergized so that the armature core 53 thereof is spring held; radially outwardly to engage the notches in the disk 35 and hold it against turning. Such result is made possible by the friction drive coupling or clutch part 35. It follows then that the wiper arm 42 is not turning and the lamps 39 are not being illuminated successively to producea lighting efiect, although if the arm 42 should be resting onone of the buttons 31 at this time, then such one light will be lighted. Now, when a ball on the table II bumps the obstacle 12 the switch-ports l and thereof will contact to close a circuit with the source of energy that will cause energization of the coil 45 and retraction of its core 45 whereby to free the wheel 35. This allows the wheel to be driven from the gears 29 through the friction coupling 33 so that the wiper arm travels over the contacts 31 successively to close the lamp circuits and cause lighting of the lamps 39. This creates an interesting, momentary, lighting effect which is most pleasing, especially when different colored lamps are used. The lighting effect corresponds with a score achievement in the playing of the pin ball game. It will now be understood that the instant the toothed wheel 35 is freed, the said wheel and wiper arm are quickly turned and the angular movement is through a number of contacts to give the light elfect described, before the solenoid look again holds the wheel. Of course, with a delayed action means operative on the solenoid, more lights could be flashed.

It will now be seen that a novel and pleasing game efiect is provided which achieves the desirable objects of the apparatus as heretofore recited.

The intention is to cover herein all such changes and modifications of the embodiments disclosed, which do not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claim. For instance, some other means could be substituted for the lamps 39 in the circuit wires 38.

What is claimed is:

A game embodying a normally open contact type switch c'losable momentarily while a movable game piece normally engages same, a source of electrical energy and a circuit for the switch, an electric motor having a circuit with a source of energy and operative continuously while the game is conditioned for play, a rotatable switch arm driven by the motor, a circular series of contacts for the arm, a circuit for said arm and contacts, said contacts also including circuits with respective lamps to be lighted when said contacts are closed by said arm, an electromagnetically releasable lock in circuit with a source of energy and normally holding the wiper arm against turning, and a drive coupling interposed between the motor and arm including means to permit lost motion between the motor and the arm, said lock being releasable to cause the motor to spin the arm over a succession of contacts to light corresponding lamps when the contact switch is closed by the game piece.

FRANK G. NICOLAUS. 

